Fast Cars, Summer and Freedom
by newyorkcitydreaming
Summary: Disclaimer: I own nothing - this is all for fun. Best Friends, Road Trips, Fast Cars, Boys and Beaches, that's how Sara's summer starts...What's not to love.


They had been driving for the last couple of days. It was always the plan to head to Coast City after graduation. Caitlin had a family vacation home there. So only hours after their graduation caps and gowns had been packed up, Caitlin, Kara, and Sara had packed up their bags and hit the road.

Sara's black TransAm Convertible had been loaded up for the trip the night before; snacks were the only things that they needed before they left. Leaving Central City had occurred right on peak hour, and that had frustrated Sara more than she was willing to admit.

'Your high school graduation needs to be celebrated' her mother had said the week before they planned to leave. Sara had nodded at the woman and accepted that the dinner was going to happen but in her mind, she had already established that the real celebration was going to be her vacation with her best friends.

They had stopped off along the way at small towns and middle of nowhere tourist attractions. Kara, the resident photographer, had been capturing their entire trip on film as to not forget a thing.

The girls had stayed overnight in a town about a day from Coast City. They had pulled into the motel late and were up and back on the road before the sun. Kara had suggested that they make a pact not to waste any day of their summer before college started. Sara and Caitlin had both agreed and promised to keep each other in check. Life was for the living; that's what Sara's Grandmother always said, and the blonde had always lived by those words.

Pulling out of the parking lot of the diner they had chosen to eat lunch at, Sara came to a stop at a red light heading back to the interstate next to a blue Mustang. Kara and Caitlin were laughing and talking about how hot the guy in the car next to them was. Sara looked across at the driver of the other car and returned the smile her gave her, before facing the road again.

The light changed to green, and Sara put her foot down taking off, leaving the Mustang behind. She knew it wouldn't take long for him to catch up, but she loved the thrill of the race. The girls screamed with excitement as Sara pulled onto the interstate and the other car caught up to them. She looked across and smirked at him, and he laughed pulling his car in front of hers slightly causing her to put her foot down again.

It was like a game of cat and mouse. Like flirting without words. Sara wished that there had been words, she would have liked to know how his voice sounded. She pulled her car past him, and Kara waved, leaning out of the car as Caitlin squealed with delight. Her friends were crazy, but then again, that was why she loved them.

The game went on for a couple of miles before the handsome stranger waved at them and stepped on the gas. His car sped past them and while Sara knew she couldn't catch him she was going to try.

Kara and Caitlin were the best company; that was for sure. The three girls had been best friends since middle school and complimented each other perfectly. Caitlin was the bookworm; she knew what she wanted to do after leaving school, and she focused on achieving that. It was something in the science field, but Sara couldn't tell you what. Kara was the typical girl-next-door; she was sweet as pie, and no one ever had a bad thing to say about her. Sara was the wild card; she was the police captain's daughter, with a habit of falling for the bad boys.

The rest of the car trip was pretty uneventfully. They sang along to whoever's iPod was plugged in. They stopped to take photos overlooking the beach and get some ice cream an hour out of Coast City before continuing their journey to Caitlin's vacation home.

"Holy Crap, it's incredible!" Sara exclaimed as she pulled in the drive.

The house was set right on the beach and must have been big enough to be at least a five bedroom house. It reminded Sara of every beach house she had every seen in a movie.

"You have been holding out on us," Kara said.

Caitlin shrugged and gave a small smile, "Sorry," she said with a giggle.

Parking her car next to the house, Sara got out and looked toward the ocean, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe that this place is ours for the whole summer."

Kara and Sara unpacked the car, as Caitlin went and opened up the house. With all the curtains open the sun streamed in from every angle bring natural light to the room and for that Sara was thankful.

After a tour of the house, the girls unpacked into their rooms and Sara had been right, there were six bedrooms in the place. They also found out that not only was it right on the beach; it also had a pool in the yard to the left of the property.

"We will need to head to town at some point to stock the fridge up with food for, at least the next week," Kara said.

"Agreed," Sara replied, "but for right now I just want to go lay on the beach."

"Beach first; town later," Caitlin said with a smile.

Sara turned over on her towel, to lay on her back and sighed contently. "This is the life," she stated.

"Tell me about it," Kara agreed. "Where do you think Caitlin went?"

Their friend had gone for a walk down the beach about a half hour before and was yet to return.

"No idea, but her family comes here every summer, so no doubt with her she bumped into someone she knows and is talking like Cait does," Sara said.

Kara let out a laugh, "that is true."

"It was true yes," Caitlin said joining the conversation, causing the girls to burst into a fit of giggles. "I also got us invited to a party tonight," she added with a smirk, all proud of herself.

"No way! How?" Sara asked.

"I have friends, Barry is here at his parents place this summer with friends. You remember Barry, right? He was two years above us at school and now goes to college in Star City."

"Oh cool, it will good to see Barry again," Kara said.

"It will, will it?" Sara asked shooting Caitlin a knowing look.

Their friend had been crushing on Barry since their freshman year and she apparently still carried a torch for him.

As the sun started to set, the other occupants at the beach began to pack up, and Sara sighed, "I guess we should head into town before it gets too late."

"We should, plus we also have a party to get ready for, and you know Kara is going to take at least an hour to find the perfect outfit to see Barry in," Caitlin laughed.

At 9 pm, with the shopping done and dinner finished, the girls were getting ready to head to the party. Sara had done some smokey make-up, left her hair down with her natural curls that came from spending the day in and out of the ocean; she threw on a pair of short, denim shorts and a black top. Caitlin left her make-up light and had curled her hair at the ends and had chosen to wear a black skirt with a flowing white top. Kara, on the other hand, was still trying to decide what to wear. Sara and Caitlin had made her do her makeup and hair while they went through the clothes she had brought with her.

"I have nothing to wear; I can't go!" She cried.

Sara could help but roll her eyes. "okay what about this?" she asked holding up a deep purple dress.

"Yeah that's cute," Caitlin agreed.

"I guess. It's stupid, it's not like Barry ever noticed me when we were in school, why would he do so now?" she said.

"Just get dressed!" Sara said throwing the dress at her friend.

"We'll be downstairs if you aren't down in five minutes we are leaving without you!" Caitlin said.

The party was in full swing when they arrived; The girls made their way inside, and Caitlin smiled when she saw Barry and led the other through the crowd to where he was standing by the kitchen.

"Hey, you came!" Barry exclaimed.

"What you thought we wouldn't?" Caitlin threw back with a smirk. "You remember Sara and Kara right?"

"Of course, how are you both?" Barry asked, "Do you girls want a drink?"

"So much," Sara said with a laugh.

"Maybe Kara could help you grab some?" Caitlin said to Barry.

"That would be great." He agreed walking off motioning for Kara to follow.

Sara couldn't help but laugh at Caitlin's lack of subtlety.

"Well now she is gone, we can dance," Caitlin said, taking Sara's hand and leading her to where a group had already turned the lounge into a makeshift dance floor.

As the night went on Sara could help but be thankful that they had chosen to spend this summer here together. She had been dancing with a couple of guys she had met, but as the song came to an end, Sara thanked them and told them she needed a break and headed off to get a drink.

Sara pulled a beer out of the cooler and smiled as she saw Kara still chatting with Barry, maybe things would work out there after all. Glancing around the room, she spotted Caitlin talking to friends that she knew lived in Coast City, a good looking guy she believed was named Ronnie seemed to be paying very close attention to what her friend was saying, and Sara wondered if maybe something had ever happened between them before.

Making her way outside Sara walked down to the beach. She sat on the sand, looking out at the ocean and sipped her beer. The night air was cold but not unbearable, and other than the distance sounds of the party all she could hear was the waves crash on the shore.

"Did you get caught by the police at all?" A voice said breaking her out of her thoughts.

Turning to look at in the direction of the voice Sara couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the driver of the blue Mustang that they had been racing with earlier that day.

"You!" She exclaimed shocked.

"Me," he replied as he reached her. "This patch of sand taken?"

She brushed some hair out her face and laughed, "no, it's not."

As he sat down Sara still couldn't believe it, what were the chances that he would end up in the place as them.

"You didn't answer my question about the police, does that mean you got caught?"

"No I did not, Did you?" she replied.

"Thankfully not," he said. "So are you here with your friends for the summer?"

"Yeah, we are from Central City. Caitlin's family have a house here. We graduated and hit the road." Sara explained as she turned to look at him. "What about you?"

"No kidding, I'm from Central City too. I'm at college with Barry in Star City, so we are staying here with some of the guys. I'm Leonard by the way."

Sara's mind was working overtime; he was from Central City originally. Part of her brain was asking how they how hadn't met before, but the most realistic side was reminding her that the City was a big place.

"I guess Central City is pretty big; it's not like we would have, have any reason to meet. Leonard, see that's better than calling you Mustang Guy like we have been doing. I'm Sara."

"That's true; I didn't meet Barry until college, and we grew up a block away from each other. Mustang Guy? Interesting. It's good to meet you, Sara."

Sara shook her head in disbelief sipping some more of her beer, "that's so strange, you lived that close and never met. Likewise, Leonard."

"I won't disagree, but we weren't at the same schools, so I guess that didn't help."

Looking back out at the ocean, Sara shivered slightly. Clearly, she should have brought a jacket with her. She closed her eyes, somehow hoping that would bring her some warmth when she felt a jacket placed over her shoulders.

Opening her eyes she looked over a Leonard and smiled, "thanks," she said.

"You're welcome, can't have you sitting here cold."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I've never really had a problem with the cold," he replied with a shrug.

She was about to reply when Kara and Caitlin appeared on the beach.

"Hey, we've been looking for you," Caitlin said before noticing the other person. "Wait you're-"

"Mustang Guy!" Kara said cutting her off.

Sara burst out laughing, "Told you," she said before standing up. "Girls this is Leonard, he goes to college with Barry. Leonard, this is Kara and Caitlin, my best friends in the whole world."

"Nice to meet you, girls," Leonard said.

"We were going to head home did you want to come?" Caitlin asked Sara.

"Yeah, you guys go ahead, I'll be right behind you." She told them.

She watched as her friends said goodbye to Leonard and headed down the beach before turning to look at the guys standing next to her. There was something about him; she had felt it earlier that day in the car. As if he was drawn to her too before she knew it his lips were on hers. It might have been the alcohol that caused her to return the kiss, but when she thought about it, she hadn't had that much to drink.

As he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and smiled down her. "It was good to meet you, Sara," he said before turning to head back to the party.

"Wait," Sara called out, "Your jacket."

"Keep it, I have a feeling we are going to be seeing a lot of each other this summer," he said.

Sara watched him head back down the path to the party before turning to follow her friends down the beach. She pulled Leonard's jacket tighter around her, breathing in his scent and wondering if tomorrow was too soon to see him again. Sara couldn't help but think about just how interesting the summer was going to be, and not only their vacation but the following fall when she started college in Star City.


End file.
